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E. P. KENNEL.

GAME APPARATUS.

Patented June 22, 1897.

5 @A M INVENTOR J /VMJfi/u ATTORNEY (No Model.)

WiTNESSES W 71.

FFICE.

EMIL I. KENNEL, OF HAMILTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR-OF ONEl-IALF TO CHRISTIAN A. SALZMAN, OF SAME PLACE.

GAM E APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,878, dated June 22, 1897.

Application filed January 28, 1897. Serial No. 621,095. (No model.)

To all whom it may concerns Be it known that I, EMIL I. KENNEL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hamilton, in the county of Butler and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to parlor games of that class resembling tenpins; and the object of my improvement consists in the particular form of construction and the arrangement of the various parts to best accomplish the purpose intended. These objects are attained in the following-described manner, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the bowling board in perspective; Fig. 2, a longitudinal vertical section thereof; Fig. 3, a plan of the bowling board; Fig. 4, a vertical diametrical section of the spinning ball, and Fig. 5 an elevation of the ball held in a starting position on the board by the pin.

In the drawings, 1 represents the smooth middle portion or track of the bowling-board, whereon the ball travels during the time it is spinning. Channels 2 are out below the track and along the sides and rear end thereof. Wall 3 is raised above the edges of the bowlingboard and without the channels to form a guard to prevent the ball escaping. Obstructions 4. are raised level with the wall, along the sides of the track and within the inner edges of the side channels, to form a series of gaps 5 at equal intervals for the occasional passage of the ball from the track into the channels. Tube or thimble 6 is inserted in the track near its front end and on the middle line thereof. A series of ten spots 7 are painted 011 the track near its rear end and symmetricallyarranged within an equilateral triangle with its apex toward the front end of the track. These spots indicate the location of the ten movable pins to be erected thereon and to be knocked down by the ball. The front end of the bowling-board is elevated slightly by means of batten 8 thereunder. Spinning ball 9 is constructed of metal to give it weight and is formed with groove 10, wherein a cord may be wound that serves to spin it. Axial opening 11 admits pin 12 to hold the ball in position and on thimble 6 during the quick withdrawal of the cord from groove 10, which serves to spin the ball in a manner similar to a top. Chambers 13 are formed inside the ball near opposite ends of its axis that its greater weight in the proximity of groove 10 may cause it to spin with said groove in a horizontal plane. Depression 14 receives the knot on the end of the cord.

In operation the pins are erected on spots 7. The spinning ball is held by the pin 12 being inserted therethrough and into the thimble 6, as shown in Fig. 5. The top of the pin 12 is held steadily by one hand of the operator, while with the other the cord wound in groove 10 is quickly withdrawn. The pin is now withdrawn from the ball, leaving it to spin along the declining track toward the pins.-

The ball has no spinning-point like a top, but only a slightly-flattened surface that terminates the axial opening 11, that receives the pin 12. Its tendencies, therefore, are to keep moving about on the track in uncertain directions, always, however, approaching the pins. Sometimes the ball escapes through one of the series of gaps 5 and spends its force in the channels without disturbing the pins. At other times it will reach the vicinity of the pins and cause any or all of them to tumble down. The game consists in causing the ball to knock down the greatest number of the pins.

Having fully described my improvement, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a track, channels bordering the edges thereof and a series of gaps to admit a ball from the track to the channels of a metal ball, formed with an axial opening and a circumferential groove, and a pin capable of beinginserted through the axial opening, whereby the ball may be caused to spin on the track.

2. A spinning ball formed with an axial opening to admit a removable pin, and with a circumferential groove to receive a cord and having interior recesses toward the respective extremities of its axis, whereby the greater weight in the plane of the groove causes the groove to remain in a horizontal plane during the spinning of the ball.

EMIL P. KENNEL.

"Witnesses:

E. N. WHITE, ROBERT S. CARR. 

